We are excited to announce that 2013 winner of the Ernest Cole Award is Graeme Williams, whose submission is titled ‘in da city’.
The study explores Johannesburg's inner city which has served as a first stop for many new arrivals since its formation as a mining town many years ago, yet is a city that has always been vibrant and is in a constant state of flux. Graeme portrays ‘da city’ in a dreamlike, tourist way as if one were a tourist that is approaching a foreign place with the associated disorientation that comes with this. The body of work is an attempt to avoid a critical observational photojournalistic approach and to rather approach the subject with a softer outsider's gaze.
Williams has a long history of looking critically at issues in South Africa and the continent. He has published and exhibited widely in South Africa and abroad. His books include:-
The Edge of Town – Monograph. Graphis/Highveld Publishing. 2011.
Graeme Williams Photographe – Editions de L'Ceil. Selection of recent work. 2010
The Inner City. Exploring isolation through life in Johannesburg. 2000.
The Floor. A book documenting the last year of open outcry trading on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. 1996.
Please also see www.gaemewilliams.co.za

Last week we held workshops in Cape Town and Johannesburg to support people that are looking at making a submission for this year's award. These were run in collaboration with the Cape Town School of Photography and the Market Photo Workshop.
Some key points were made by the presenters around creating an enticing visual story or narrative.

Have a title for your body of work that captures the essence of the story while 'pulling' people in. Start with a working title which evolves as your project does.

UPDATE: 14th May 2013We are excited to announce that David Lurie will join Paul Weinberg and Samantha Reinders as presenters for the Cape Town Workshop.
Directions for the workshops:
We have had a number of queries regarding directions for the workshops. These can be found on the venues' websites:
Cape Town School of Photography at www.ctsp.co.za
Market Photo Workshop at www.marketphotoworkshop.co.za

UPDATE: 13th May 2013
We still have spaces left for this weeks workshops in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Please contact us if you are interested. You can see the rest of the original post regarding the workshops below. We have also opened the workshops up to those people that might not be submitting for this year's award but are working on a documentary style project.
Original Post:
We are excited to announce that people who are intending to make a submission for the 2013 Award are invited to apply to attend a workshop about developing a coherent visual narrative.
During the adjudication process of previous years, it has come to our attention that a number of excellent entries have not yielded their full potential because of their presentations both intellectual and visual. For these reasons we wish to offer potential awardees the opportunity to develop their skills in visual storytelling and how best to articulate their ideas with some of South Africa’s foremost photographers.
The workshops will take place in Cape Town, Jo’burg and Durban during May 2013, with presentations by established photographers. Thereafter participants will have an opportunity to share their own work with the presenters. There will be a maximum of 20 people per workshop and places will be granted to those who are serious submitters for the 2013 award. People should submit a portfolio lo-res images of the project they intend to submit (max. 20 images) and their draft submission form (downloadable from this website) to info@ernestcoleaward.org. Please send your application to attend the workshops by the 10th May 2013.
The workshops will take place as follows:
Cape Town - 16th May 2013, from 9am - 12pm in collaboration with The Cape Town School of Photography. The presenters will be Paul Weinberg, David Lurie and Samantha Reinders.
Johannesburg - 17th May 2013, from 9am - 12pm as a collaboration with the The Market Photo Workshop. The presenters will be Jodi Bieber and Greg Marinovich.
Durban - Dates to be announced. The workshop will take place at the KZN Gallery and is taking place in collaboration with the DCP.